Tuesday, March 03, 2015

When Martin Maldonado hosted his inaugural Three Kings Day event earlier this year, he proved that you don't have to be a veteran big leaguer to do big things in the community. He had only 81 games on his Major League resume in January, when he hosted a carnival and distributed gifts for more than 250 children in his hometown of Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
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Freddy Garcia had been playing baseball ever since he was 2 years old, but in his early teenage years he was spending more time working as a caddie at a local golf course than dreaming of joining the growing stream of young talent being signed out of Venezuela to play professional baseball in the United States.
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Dave Valle and his wife, Vicky, started Esperanza International as a response to the commitment they made while seeing widespread poverty in the Dominican Republic during his stint playing winter ball there in 1985.
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Twins catcher Josmil Pinto has also come up big in clutch situations. His go-ahead homer against the Rays came on the first day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs through Oct. 15, and is celebrated throughout Major League Baseball.
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In a nation as baseball-obsessed as the Dominican Republic, it would seem impossible for there to be a boy who played the game so much that others took exception. Growing up in a small, poverty-stricken part of San Cristobal, Ubaldo Jimenez was that boy.
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Born in Mexico, Miguel Gonzalez's parents moved to California when he was three to give him and his siblings a better education. It's a decision he's glad his parents made, as it gave him an opportunity to become a U.S. citizen and have strong ties to his native land.
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Like so many growing up in Puerto Rico, Joe Espada dreamed of playing in the big leagues. He came close, reaching as high as Triple-A. Although he never reached the highest level on the field, the game opened a door for Espada to become a Major League coach.
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Wilson Ramos, who recently started 24 straight games behind the plate after miss most of last season with an ACL injury, credits a popular dish from his native Venezuela for is renewed health and durability.
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Miguel Cabrera exploits on the diamond are well-documented, but the Tigers superstar is also picking up recognition for his presence in the community. For the second straight year, he is the Tigers' nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
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Carlos Ruiz ranks among the top catchers in Phillies history, but his work with local Latino children through his "Chooch's Chicos" program has been every bit as important as anything he's done on the field.
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As a token of his appreciation of the fan support he has received in Denver, Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa is funding 25 baseball teams and 12 softball teams in the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.
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Erwin Higueros works for the Giants as a Spanish-language radio broadcaster, media relations official and marketing representative. As diverse as Higueros' duties are, his real field of expertise is hard work.
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